John H. 'Jack' Ryan Jr., 76

SMYRNA - John H. "Jack" Ryan Jr. of Smyrna, formerly of Yonkers, N.Y., Rome and Naples, Italy, passed away Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2007, in St. Francis Hospital, Wilmington. He was 76.

Mr. Ryan was born April 29, 1931, in Yonkers, N.Y., son of the late John H. and Mary Mulligan Ryan.

He retired from the U.S. Air Force in 1970 following 20 years of service and was a veteran of the Korean and Vietnam wars.

From 1971-75, Mr. Ryan was the director of distribution for the Rome Daily American Newspaper in Rome, and in 1975 he founded Press Marketing Consultants in Naples.

When he moved to Smyrna, he joined the board of directors of the Bagehot Research Council on National Sovereignty and was the director of Griffon House Publications.

Mr. Ryan was also the managing director of the Council on National Literatures in New York City.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Rita Conte Ryan, in 2003.

He is survived by two sons, John H. Ryan III of Naples, Italy, and Lt. Col. Edmund P. Ryan of Alexandria, Va.; a sister, Mary Ryan of Hartford, Conn.; and two grandchildren.

Mass of Christian burial will be offered at 9 a.m. Wednesday in Chapel 2 of Dover Air Force Base.

Burial will be 2 p.m. Wednesday in Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors.

Arrangements are by Faries Funeral Directors, Smyrna.